Playing With Death - Part 18: Beauty Among the Ashes

Rose sat up in bed. The sun was shining through the window next to her. She smiled.

No matter what anyone else said, there was still beauty in the world... even in the midst of the end, it seemed, and the sun was just one of many examples of that beauty. It was something she looked forward to every night before she fell asleep. And even at night, there was always the moon and stars to look forward to. Beauty still reined among disaster, and it reminded her that there was still a God.

She got up and changed, having taken a shower the night before. Walking down the stairs, she wore a large smile. "Morning guys." she chipped.

"Yo," Trevor replied. "Sleep alright?"

Rose nodded. "Yeah. I did." she filled a glass with water. "I dreamed darkness."

"Better than a nightmare..." Trevor said shrugging.

Rose took her water outside, and sat on the bench on the front porch. It was peacefully quiet this morning, other than the single walker roaming the field a bit aways. She watched it, as it meandered along the grass, with no direction.

The front door opened, and out came Jen, chainsaw and all. She sat up against Rose, cuddling up beside her. Rose started to stroke her hair, as she continued to watch the undead traveler.

It was sad, those soulless bodies. Mindless creatures, with no purpose in life. If there was something she could do, she would. But there wasn't. Nothing could help them but putting them out of their misery.

Jennifer gasped. "Rose! Dead person!" she exclaimed, sitting up, a smile creeping on her face.

Rose nodded. "Yep. Let's let it walk a bit. I'm watching him"

Jen cocked her head, but nodded back. "O.. kay..." She leaned back against Rose.

Rose sighed. She saw beauty, but that didn't mean she wasn't worn. It didn't mean she didn't cry. It didn't mean she didn't wish it would all end.

Rose froze. Another figure emerged from the woods, and before she knew it, the zombie fell, the figure standing above it.

"Jen. Go inside." She said, nudging her.

Jennifer complied slowly. Rose followed, but simply walked back outside with a pistol. She stood on the porch, watching the figure carefully.

And then he waved.